Bracket for paint containers and the like



Dec. 29, 1964 A. K. THORNBURGH 3,163,389

BRACKET FOR PAINT CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 23, 1963 "go mum/r02 A VLE K. 7/7/0P/VBUR6H United StatesPatent O 3,163,389 BRACKET FOR PAINT CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Argyle K. Thornburgh, Pleasantville, Iowa Filed Aug. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 304,187

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-211) The conventional paint container is usually comprised of a cylindrical container with a hoop or bail pivotally secured to the upper portion thereof. In its normal use, the paint container is suspended from ladders or similar structures by utilization of a 'hook means which connects the bail with a rung of the ladder. The weight of the container causes the bail to assume a position within a vertical plane which passes through the center axis of the container. The bail thereupon is in the way of the painter as he repeatedly extends his paint brush into the container. Furthermore, the usual suspension system for the paint container on such a ladder locates the container directly below a ladder rung and this adds to the inconvenience of replenishing the supply of paint on the brush.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a bracket for paint containers and the like which will tend to hold the hail of the paint container in an inclined position with respect to the paint container while at the same time permitting the bail to be used in the suspension system for the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bracket for paint containers and the like which will permit a paint container to be suspended by its hail from a ladder rung in an otfset position with respect to the ladder rung.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bracket for paint containers and the like which will hold the bail of such a container in an inclined position but which will not interfere in any way with the use of the bail for use in suspending the container from an overhead support means.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bracket for paint containers and the like which is economical of manufacture.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device,- whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bracket herein contemplated mounted on a paint: container which in turn is suspended from the rung of a ladder; I

FIGURE 2 is a schematic perspective view of the bracket of this invention in its disassembled condition with respect to a conventional ladder rung hook;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view' of the device of this invention as viewed on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional View of the device of this invention as viewed on line 4+4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view of the device of this invention similar to that of FIGURE 4 but showing the ladder rung hook as it is being inserted on the bailof the paint container.

The numeral generally designates a conventional ladder having parallel side members 12 and conventional rung members 14 and 16. A conventional paint container 18 is shown in FIGURES land 3 and includes a bottom 20 with a cylindrical side wall 22. CA flange 24 appears around the outer periphery of the l ower end of container 18 and is created by extending the'lower edge;

of the side wall 22 to a point below the plane of the bottom 20. A semi-circular bail 26 is pivotally secured to the upper end of the container 18 by means of bear- A hook element 34 appears on the lower end of bracket. 32 and as will be described hereafter, hook element 34 is adapted to receive the flange 24 on the bottom periphery of the container 18. The lower portion 36 of the bracket 32 is preferably straight and the upper portion 38 of the bracket is disposed at an angle with respect to thelower portion 36 by means of a bend in the bracket 7 which appears at point 4%.

The upper end of the bracket 32 terminates in a hook 42 which is created by bending the upper end of the upper portion 38 substantially back onitself. It will be noted that book 42 is bent in an opposite directionand an upper eyelet 50. The upper eyelet 5G is adapted-- to receive the upper portion of one of the ladder rungs 14 or 16 and the lower eyelet 48 is adapted to receive the cross sectional thickness of the bail 2e of paint container 18.

The normal operation of the device of this invention is as follows: The downwardly extending flange 24 of container 18 is inserted into the hook element 34 of bracket 32 as shown in FIGURE 3. The bracket 32 and bail 26 are thereupon movably coordinated so that the bail 26 is received within the hook 42 on the upper end of the bracket. It is preferred that theflower portion 36 of the bracket be in spaced relation to the outer perimeter wall of the container 18, and it is also preferred that the vertical lengths of the lower portion 36 be substantially the same as the vertical height of the container. Because of the bend 40 in bracket 36, the upper portion 38 thereof extends to a point vertically above the container 18 but at a position away from the center axis thereof.

Because of the slot 44 in the hook 42 at the upper end of the bracket, a portion of the length of bail 26 is exposed. The lower eyelet 48 of hook 46 can be mounted ball 26 is held in an inclined position away from the top of the container 13 so as to permit easy access to the paint within the container. The painter is thereupon enabled to easily reach around the side member 12 to dip his paint brush into the container 18 without being bothered by either thebail or the. structure of the ladder 10. The bracket 32 is easily'mounted on the paint container 18 and can be easily removed when the container is empty. v

Therefore, it is seen that this invention will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives. V

Some changes may be inadein the constructiqn and arrangement of my bracket for paint containersfand the like without departing from the real spirit and purpose j of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by an elongated bracket means,

my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of one end of said bracket means engaging said flange mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably inmeans onsaid container,

eluded Within their scope. a hook portion on the other endof said bracket means I claim: 5 which receives a portion of the length of said bail 1. A bracket for paint containers and the like, c0m-' element, said hook portion having a slot formed prising, therein so that a hook element can grasp said bail an elongated body member, element within said slot.

hook means on one end of said body member for receiving the flange on the lower perimeter of a References Cited y the Examiner V hp COIItaiI'lFI, f d b d b b b UNITED STATES PATENTS t e upper portion 0 sm 0 y Inern er eing ent 7 at an angle With respect to the lower portion of 22 said body member, I v

the upper end of said body member terminating in {$3222 2 a hook means adapted to receive a hail of a paint 2707610 5/55 Pinion 248:215 1 3,094,304 6/63 Linder 248-211 and a slot in the hook means on the upper end of 3 102 611 9/63 Mote 248 301 X said body member.

2. In combination, FOREIGN PATENTS an upright cylindrical container, 733,181 7 Great Britain.

a flange means on the periphery of said container, 7 a bail element pivotally secured by its ends to the upper portion of said container,

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BRACKET FOR PAINT CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED BODY MEMBER, HOOK MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER FOR RECEIVING THE FLANGE ON THE LOWER PERIMETER OF A PAINT CONTAINER, THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BODY MEMBER BEING BENT AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID BODY MEMBER, THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY MEMBER TERMINATING IN A HOOK MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A BAIL OF A PAINT CONTAINER, AND A SLOT IN THE HOOK MEANS ON THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY MEMBER. 